Think back to your
teenage years – was thought of a call to your parents a punishment worse than
death? If so, the Maine State Police might be onto something.
As part of
SAFEGuard, a statewide program that began Wednesday, July 20, parents of
children under the age of 18 will be notified if their child is pulled over for
a traffic violation.
According to police
officials, the unique program is a joint parent-law enforcement effort designed
to cut down on the number of teen fatalities in the state.
“That phone call may
be the most important call a police officer ever makes,” Maj. Randy Nichols,
Maine State Police officer, told the Bangor Daily News. “We need to make
a special effort to save our youngest and most inexperienced drivers. Instead
of being the first to know, parents are often the last to know.”
In 2004, 34 teens
were involved in fatal accidents in Maine, the Daily News reported, a
number police want to drastically lower.
Even the slogan for
the program is designed to scare kids straight: “Your parents will be the first
to know.”
